5 occasions when Bangladesh came close to defeating a Top Test side

Bangladesh may have retained their reputation as giant-killers but there have been Test matches in the past where some golden opportunities have gone begging. But for these squandered chances and lacklustre attitude, Bangladesh cricket would have scaled unfathomable heights by now. However, the Bangla tigers have a habit of giving the top sides a run for their money. Ahead of their one-off Test against India, we rewind the clock back to some memorable Tests which they could have won:

Bangladesh vs. Pakistan, 3rd Test Match, 2003, Multan, Pakistan

Inzamam proved to be the difference between the sides in the end

Bangladesh began their first innings in the final test at Multan on a confident note. Despite losing an early wicket to pacer- Umar Gul, they put up a positive display of batting and were further helped by Habibul Bashar’s fine form with the bat. The chief architect of Bangladesh’s first innings total, Basher along with Javed Omar forged a 74 run partnership to steady the rocking ship before getting out for a well made 72 which included some magnificent drives and pulls.

After Basher’s dismissal, it was all downhill for Bangladesh who kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Although, the middle order did try and show some resistance with Rajin Saleh playing a patient knock of 49 runs, a powerful Pakistan bowling attack proved too hot for the lower order batsmen to handle as they restricted Bangladesh to a decent score of 281 in the first innings. Umar Gul was the pick of the bowlers as he went to take four wickets conceding just 86 runs from his 32 overs. He was ably supported by medium pacer -Shabbir Ahmed who picked three wickets for 70 from his 25 overs.

In reply to Bangladesh’s 281, Pakistan’s batting began on a dicey note as Khaled Mahmud trapped Mohammed Hafeez lbw at the score of 21. On a pitch that was offering some support to the bowlers, Bangladesh fashioned an impressive bowling performance bundling out Pakistan for a mere 175 and secured a crucial 106-run first innings lead. The left-arm spin of Rafique who took a five-for and Mahmud’s 4 for 37 had put Bangladesh in the driver’s seat.

However, Bangladesh failed to make a better fist of the lead as their top order collapsed in the second innings slipping to 41/4 handing the advantage to Pakistan. And yet again, it was the pace duo of Shabbir Ahmed and Umar Gul that inflicted damage on Bangladeshi batsmen taking 4 wickets apiece as the visitors tottered their way to 154 setting Pakistan a target of 261 runs.

Fortunes kept fluctuating in this cracker of a game as Bangladesh bowlers put up a resilient fight reducing the home side to 148/6 after they had got off to a good start. Just when things seemed to be going Bangladesh’s way and a historic win was in sight; Pakistan captain- Inzamam-ul-Haq (138) put his foot down scoring a belligerent hundred and together with the lower-order batsmen, propelled his team to a one-wicket win over Bangladesh.

In a Test match where fate kept changing hands, Bangladesh would indeed rue their chances as they saw victory slip out of their hands, albeit by a slim margin.

Bangladesh vs. Australia, 1st Test Match, 2006, Fatullah, Bangladesh

This time, they were denied by Aussie stalwart Ricky Ponting

Bangladesh won the toss at Fatullah and decided that they would bat first against Ricky Ponting’s all-conquering Australia. The start to the test match proved to be an antithesis for Ponting’s men who were sent on a hapless leather hunt by Shahriar Nafees, whose brilliant maiden test hundred together with Habibul Bashar’s patient knock of 76 piled on the agony of a clueless Australian attack.

With useful contributions from Rajin Saleh (67) and other lower-order batsmen, Bangladesh put on an imposing total of 427 at the end of the first innings with spinner Stuart MacGill’s herculean effort (8 for 108) being the only bright spot in Australia’s otherwise depleted bowling spell.

However, Bangladesh backed their thrilling outing with the bat with an equally intimidating bowling performance against a star-studded Australian batting restricting them to only 269 and securing a first-innings lead of 158. Mohammad Rafique took the centre stage picking up 5 for 62 and was ably supported by fast-bowler Mashrafe Mortaza and left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Jr who got two wickets apiece. For Australia, wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist hit a brilliant hundred (144) of 212 deliveries which included 15 hits to the fence and six maximums.

But Bangladesh’s appalling second-innings record came back to haunt them as a spirited bowling feat from fast bowler Jason Gillespie (3 for 18) and leg-spinner Shane Warne (3 for 28) confined the hosts to a second-innings total of just 148.

With 307 runs required to win, Australia rode high on a 109 run-second-wicket-partnership between Ricky Ponting and Mathew Hayden cruising to 173/1 before losing two quick wickets to their key nemesis in that match; Mohammad Rafique. In spite of yet another feisty spell from Rafique (4 for 98), Australia managed to scamper through to victory with Ricky Ponting sealing the game with an unbeaten 118.

In a match filled with such frenetic ups and downs, you have to hand it to Bangladesh for running Australia so close. But for Ricky Ponting’s riposte with the bat and some luck, Bangladesh could have fulfilled their dream of beating a top-class test side that day.

Bangladesh vs. New Zealand, 1st Test Match, 2008, Chittagong, Bangladesh

Bangladesh lost this Test despite taking a first innings lead

Bowling first at Chittagong, the New Zealand bowlers stifled the Bangladesh batsmen early in the innings as they slipped to 44/4. However, a record fifth-wicket partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim (79) and Mehrab Hossain Jr (83) revived their team’s fortunes and helped Bangladesh post a decent total of 245 in the first innings. Daniel Vettori was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand picking 5 for 59. IE O’Brien (3 for 36) and JS Patel (2 for 67) chipped in with useful contributions.

In reply, the visitors got all out for a paltry score of 171 as Shakib-Al-Hasan spun a web around the Kiwi batsmen accounting for 7 of their total batsmen. Daniel Vettori was the highest run-getter for New Zealand with a score of 55.

Looking to extend their lead in the second innings, Bangladesh were taken aback by some excellent spin bowling from Vettori (4 for 74) and Jeetan Patel (2 for 53). Nonetheless, it was Shakib-Al-Hasan who came to his side’s rescue with a fine innings of 71 and coupled with valuable contributions from Mortaza (44) and Razzak (18) helped the visitors set a target of 317.

Chasing a stiff target, New Zealand lost their first wicket at the score of 55. However, opener Aaron Redmond with his gritty 62 drove his side to safer shores before getting out on 79. But a resolute Daniel Vettori took charge of the proceedings and made a well-compiled 76 which included 7 crafty hits to the fence. With Vettori’s dismissal, Bangladesh saw a glimmer of hope but it was soon nipped in the bud as the lower order batsmen safely guided New Zealand home.

Yet another riveting contest which could have gone either way ended in a Bangladesh defeat.

Bangladesh vs. South Africa, 1st Test Match, 2008, Dhaka, Bangladesh

This would have been one of the biggest upsets in Test history

Batting first, Bangladesh were knocked over by Morne Morkel’s five-for and Dale Steyn (3 for 27) as they succumbed to a measly total of 192. With the top-order in total shambles, Mohammad Ashraful (34) and Aftab Ahmed (44) tried to salvage some pride but soon fell to some superb piece of bowling from the South Africans.

However, South Africa were in for a surprise when their top four batsmen got out cheaply with only 76 runs on the board. Leading the stirring fight-back were Shahadat Hossain (6 for 27) and Mohammad Rafique (2 for 55) who restricted the visitors to only 170.

Having established a 22-run-first-innings-lead, Junaid Siddique then extended it with his stodgy innings of 74 before Dale Steyn (4 for 48) and Jacques Kallis (5 for 30) triggered yet another lower order collapse as Bangladesh were all-out for 182.

Chasing a modest target of 205 runs, Graeme Smith (62), Hashim Amla (46) and Ashwell Prince (38) steered the team home despite Hossain’s three-for and Rafique’s 2 for 54. And once again, Bangladesh came close to beating a non-Zimbabwean opposition but failed to deliver the knock-out punch.

Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka, 1st Test Match, 2008, Dhaka, Bangladesh

No team has chased a target of over 500 in Test Cricket, but Bangladesh came close at one stage

Batting first, Sri Lanka were rattled early on in their innings as Shakib-Al-Hasan (5 for 70) produced a superb spell of spin bowling during which he picked up the prized wickets of Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara. However Samaraweera (90) and Vaas (37) steadied the ship as Sri Lanka posted 293 runs in their first innings.

In reply, Bangladesh were all-out for 178 as Muttiah Muralitharan’s (6 for49) 11th five-wicket haul against Bangladesh dampened all their hopes of a come-back. Sri-Lanka were put in a dominant position by Jayawardene (162), Sangakkara (67) and Samaraweera (62) and the visitors piled on a massive total of 405 runs in the second innings.

Chasing an improbable total of 521, Bangladesh began their innings on an encouraging note as batsmen looked to score runs instead of trying to play for a draw. Leading the charge was Mohammad Ashraful who made a fine hundred and got ample support from the other end in Shakib (96) and Mushfiqur Rahim (61). However, the target proved to be too big in the end as Sri Lanka won the test match by 107 runs.

However, after tamely conceding such a big lead, this was just the kind of fight back the fans had been craving for. Although Bangladesh would lament the missed chances on the field, they can take heart from the fact that the team put up a fight instead of caving under pressure.